Defence forces up in arms against Seventh Pay Commission report

New Delhi: The Defence forces forces have raised their concerns with the defence ministry about the ‘shortcomings’ in the Seventh Pay Commission report, Indian Navy chief Admiral R K Dhowan said on Thursday.

Navy Chief Admiral RK Dhowan said all issues of “concern” were being taken up with the ministry.

The navy chief, addressing the customary annual press conference in Delhi on the eve of Navy Day, was asked if there was discontent in the armed forces on the recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission.

“Whatever we feel are the shortcomings are being taken up by the three services with the defence ministry to see that whatever we feel is necessary for our men, our officers, our civilians, is made available to them,” Admiral Dhowan said.

He said all issues of “concern” were being taken up with the ministry.

Officers of the armed forces feel the current Pay Commission’s recommendations were less rewarding.

Among the concerns was the way pension was calculated on the basis of the number of years served in a particular rank.

A senior official who did not want to be named said: “The rank of major general is equivalent to Joint Secretary. But an IAS officer becomes Joint Secretary sooner than an armed forces personnel would reach that rank. And the percentage of those who reach that rank in the forces is also less, which makes the system unfair.”

Another grudge is the risk-hardship matrix.

While a soldier posted at the Siachen Glacier gets an allowance of Rs.31,500 per month, a civilian bureaucrat draws 30 per cent of his salary as “hardship allowance”.